A new group of volunteers is prepared to save lives in the North East.

The nine community first responders (CFRs) have been trained and are ready to assist in emergencies.

These volunteers, dispatched by North East Ambulance Service (NEAS), are often the first on the scene, providing crucial early interventions.

They support both rural and urban areas, responding from home or work.

CFRs volunteer around 38,000 hours each year, offering life-saving support in the critical minutes before an ambulance arrives.

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Nine new community first responders join NEAS to deliver life-saving support (Image: North East Ambulance Service) Alex Mason, NEAS's community resuscitation and development officer, said: "We have 138 CFRs, whose role is crucial in providing early interventions in the first minutes of an emergency.

"Living within the communities they serve, they can often also be on scene first, providing basic life-saving support and initial treatment.

"We are extremely grateful for the support of our CFRs – they really do help save lives."

Mr Mason encouraged others to consider volunteering with NEAS, highlighting that there are roles for people from all walks of life.

The addition of the nine new CFRs increases the number of community first responders in the north east by over eight per cent.

One of the new recruits, Tanya from Corbridge, has been a vet for 15 years.

She said: "I have been helped by North East Ambulance Service myself.

"The care I received was to such an outstanding degree that it made me want to volunteer and become a community first responder."

Tanya praised the training and support provided by NEAS and expressed her eagerness to assist her local community.

Another new CFR, Brittany from Horton, works part-time in the NEAS emergency operations centre.

She said: "Volunteering as a community first responder means I’m able to gain an insight into more of our organisation, how it works and have a better understanding of patient care too.

"I also wanted to help out more in my local community and give back where I can."

NEAS provides various volunteer roles, including ambulance car drivers, community ambassadors and volunteer porters.

These positions offer valuable experience in the healthcare setting and support for patients, local communities and the wider ambulance service.